U.S. singer to face trial over fan death

Lamb of God front man Randy Blythe will stand trial February 4, 2013, on charges he caused the death of a fan at a Prague concert two years ago. The date was confirmed by the city's Municipal Court today.

The court, which had three months to set a trial date, deemed there was enough evidence to proceed with the case, acting quickly after the Czech State Attorney officially filed manslaughter charges against the 41-year-old earlier this month.

"We have issued Randy Blythe with a court summons, and he is obliged to attend the hearing in person," said court spokeswoman Martina Lhotáková. "The trial will determine the culpability of Blythe, and his potential punishment."

Blythe is accused of pushing the 19-year-old fan off the stage during a Lamb of God gig at Club Abaton in May 2010. That fan, Daniel N., died from head injuries a month later.

The singer, who spent five weeks in custody this summer before his 8 million Kc ($394,000/312,000 euros) release on bail, could face up to ten years in prison if found guilty. He has previously stated his intention to return to the Czech Republic and hear the charges.

After the prosecutor's decision Dec. 3, Lamb of God's manager, Larry Mazer, said the band would "fight vigorously" against the accusation.

"While it is a tragedy that a Lamb of God fan died following a performance by the group, in no way do I feel that Randy did anything improper that led to the young man's injuries and subsequent death," Mazer wrote in a statement.

"We have testimony from the venue operator that acknowledges lax security and an improper barricade being used that evening. Numerous testimonies from fans also were contradictory as to the actions of the multiple fans that tried to access the stage," he added.

The trial is expected to last five days, according to Lhotáková. The court also had the option to send the case back to the prosecutor and police for further investigation.

Jonathan Crane can be reached at
jcrane@praguepost.com